Meant To Be
by BrokedownPalace
Summary: A Naru-Hina romantic fluff story. No ones feelings will be hurt, no one will die, maybe not even any enemy ninja... Its really just romantic fluff... If you know, you are in to that sort of thing.
1. Chapter 1

"Greetings and good evening in the name of his imperial majesty..." Getting my Bob Marley on as I set out on my attempt to write my first fan fic. I am not sure what to expect as I am not generally very good at writing anything but poetry. However I feel very strongly about this pairing, it is a fascination and (probably unhealthy) obsession of mine (I am sure some of you know what I am talking about). I am writing it for me first, you second. Meaning I am going to try and write the same sort of thing that I like to read: romantic fluff with very little ninja-anything.

Well, here it goes... Reviews are appreciated!

P.I. (Post Intro): The story is set after the death of Jiraiya, and before the invasion of Pain. This means that Hinata has not yet confessed to Naruto, I don't want to have to deal with the logistics of that... I am also going to take the liberty of extending the time time between Jiraiya's death and the invasion of Pain. Basically, I am just not going to worry about the impending invasion right now... everyone is just going about their everyday business in Konoha, there is no state of emergency, there is no state of despair... just Konoha, and no Ero-Sennin.

I do not own Naruto or any of the other characters described in the fanfic. I wish I did, as sakura would have been killed off long ago, and Hinata would have taken her spot by Naruto's side.  
-x-x-

The blonde's face crinkled into an exaggerated display of confused concentration, making the intense level of focus quite apparent to the silent onlooker who stood behind a tree just outside the clearing. The sunlight streaming in from the blue sky overhead, basked the young orange-clad ninja in a golden glow as he bent over an open scroll, pen sitting motionless (save for a slight and recurring twitch) at the top of the blank page. With an exasperated sigh the ninja flung his head backwards, it landed with a thud on the pillow he had made with his hands on the grass. Now looking towards the sky, the ninja gazed at the white celestial puffs that floated over the woods, over Konoha, and over the entire Land of Fire. _I wonder if ero-sennin ever had this much trouble when he was writing.._.

From behind the tree the young Kunoichi watched the blonde sit back up in place with pen once again in hand, motionless. _If only there were some way I could help. Help. Help, damn, I was supposed to help Shino tend to his colonies today, he always needs a hand around mating season, keeping the wild insects away from his breeding nests..._

A snap pulled the blonde back to reality. Damn I almost had an idea that time too. He looked in the direction of the noise to see a quick stream of indigo disappear behind a tree fifty feet into the woods, in the direction of Konoha. _Enemy Ninja..._

With a kunai in hand the blonde started slowly towards where he had seen the glimpse of color. Silently, the ninja approached the location in question, discovering a small grassy ridge that ran alongside one of the many paths heading towards the village. On all fours he crawled through the brush and up to the edge of the ridge so that he could get a concealed look down the path; it would be good to have an idea of the enemy's looks when he reported the intrusion to Baa-Chan.

The ninja needed only look a short distance down the road to discover the intruder: a teenage girl with long, raven-color hair that gracefully flowed down her back, over a loose fitting lavender-colored sweatshirt. It all but hid the womanly features lying below; the narrow waist that spread into a cute and squeeze-able butt, before narrowing again to form robust hips and legs. The enemy walked briskly towards the village, clearly very intent on carry out whatever plot they had devised to catch the Leaf off-guard in their seemingly-endless period of weakness and repair. The enemy carried no visible weapons, though looks can be deceiving. The enemy appeared to be alone, though thats not a reliable predictor of power. The enemy looks an awful lot like... _Hinata?_

_ That blue streak, was it her in the woods? What was Hinata doing in the woo- wait, was she watching me write?_ Curiosity piqued, the blonde stood up and stepped over the ridge onto the path, and with feet falling lightly on the padded dirt, slowly began following the kunoichi.

_ Am I being followed?_ Sensing a slight presence she gently tipped her head to the left, hoping to steal a quick peek of the road behind her. The blonde ninja she had just been watching from the trees was now slinking along the side of the path where she had just been walking, still partially concealed by the overhanging branches. Right away her eyes met his, deep blue against soft purple. Deep blue won out, and the soft purple quickly darted straight ahead, as if pretending they had never looked back to begin with. Her heart quickened as the realization hit her: _He must have seen me watching him._

The blonde watched the girls hands slap stiffly to her sides as her pace suddenly quickened. With a start the blonde broke into a run and chased after the fleeing girl. "Oy! Hinata, wait up!"

The kunoichi's feet halted immediately as a rosy pink blush flooded her pale cheeks. She was barely able to stay on her feet, managing to fight off the impending faint that would have landed her in the approaching blondes' arms. _Is he angry with me?_

"Ne, Hinata, what were you doing back there in the woods?

"Ano...", she looked down at her index fingers which were lightly tapping against each other, "Ano... I was watching you write... gomen...gomen nasai". The girl apologized before blurting out, "But I wanted to help!". Her mouth closed with a little 'eep' and she looked back down at her hands.

"I dont think its something you could have helped with anyways", he sighed as a slight shadow spread across his face. It was the truth, though he was also trying to mask his surprise at what the girl standing before him had just said. _Why does she want to help me?_

Not sure whether to push for information, Hinata reluctantly whispered, "Ano... what were you writing... Naruto-kun?"

He sighed and locked his hands behind his head, looking towards the sky. A sheet of imposing grey clouds was slowly crawling across the blue expanse from the east. "Its nothing".

Her eyes dropped to the dirt beneath her feet. A small pebble rested just in front of her foot, she focused all of her attention and strength on its matte round edges. _Naruto-kun, I'm sorry... I want to help so badly._ It's grey body was speckled with small black dots, how insignificant it must seen to the rest of the world. _How insignificant I must seem to him._ She nudged the stone a little with her foot. "Ano... I think if you talked to me about it, I... I could help".

"Huh?" He smiled and ruffled the hair on the back of his head. An innocent laugh escaped from his chest. "Truth is, I don't know what I was writing yet. Or rather, I don't know what I am going to write. I just figured, you know because Ero-sennin was always writing, maybe I should give it a try too!".

She looked up at the young man, his blue eyes shining so brightly, his smile unaffected by all of the grief and hatred in the world. _I love you Naruto-kun_. "I... I think it is a very good idea".

"Thank you Hinata! You were right, you were a huge help. Its always good to have people like you around!". He watched the side of her lips curve up and her eyes flash at the compliment. Her apparent happiness was contagious, it radiated off of her being. A strange feeling lit at the pit of his stomach, a fluttering heaviness, a warmth that connected his heart and his mind in a euphoric bliss. A stupid grin that he had no control over plastered itself across his face. _What is this feeling?_

_ Did he really just say he liked having me around?!_ The need for physical contact was overwhelming, she needed to reach out and hug the boy with the childish grin that was standing in front of her, the burning pillar of sunshine and determination and kindness.

She caught herself, maybe it was better not to push her luck and ruin the moment. A small bead of water appeared on her cheek and waltzed around her lips before collecting on her chin. Her head tilted upwards, another drop hit her forehead, and another the tip of her nose. The blue sky had been almost entirely blanketed by the grey mass of clouds, a light sprinkle was tickling the grass and trees around the path, a warning of a harder rain to come.

"We are pretty far away from town, lets find shelter in the woods somewhere." The blonde took her hand and pulled her off into the woods, still quite curious about the new sensation he had felt in his chest.

Hinata followed, hoping her face wasn't as pink as it felt.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Well I logged on today and saw a few likes/reviews, much more than I had expected! I would have been happy with even just one view! So with the little added bit of motivation, I am going to push onto the next, and hopefully longer, chapter. I must say, I hadnt fully realized how taxing writing is... eight hours of concentrated work yields about 1,500 words... wow.

I do not own the story or any of the characters within it, enjoy.

-x-

Small puddles had begun to form in the dents and valleys that pocketed the forest by the time the pair of ninja had found suitable shelter. A misplaced pine tree provided enough cover from the rain to keep the two reasonably dry, and the soft bed of last-years pine needles was softer than the floor of any cave would have been. Still, the blonde removed his jacket and gently spread it across the ground for the kunoichi to sit on; which of course earned him a blush and an embarrassed "thank-you".

A gang of darker grey clouds had rolled in and mixed with the light ones, blending to transform the sky into a churning expanse of stormy movement. The wind gained speed as well, occasionally shaking the dense canopy, rain falling through the leaves like sand through a shifter.

Their shivering slowly abated, leaving in its place an awkward silence as the two ninja became accustomed to the new surroundings. The dampness left by the rain was oddly sobering. "Ne, Hinata?"

"Hai?". She looked up from her shoelaces, which she had been toying with since she had sat down on the orange jacket. Pale violet eyes searched the blondes face, looking for a raised eyebrow, or a slight smile, something to aid her in guessing what he might say next.

"I'm sure glad that I'm not stuck in this storm by myself". He watched the rosy pink blush spread across her cheeks and with the pink that already surrounded her nose due to the cold. Her lips quivered at the corners and then aligned into a genuine smile, eyes returning to her shoes as she tried to hide her excitement at the compliment_. Perfect,_ he thought to himself, _I thought that might do the trick!_

Twirling the white lace around her finger and then threading it through the bunny-eared loop, her mind wrestled with all of the things she could say. Lips slightly parted as a tiny noise flew past her tongue, out into the cold air. The thought was cut short as an inner shyness leapt up from her throat and reeled the words back in, her mouth closing after them. _Not if I can help it! _She tightened the shoestring around her finger, temporarily cutting of the circulation and sending a tinge of pain up her arm. Her lips opened marginally in response, a small gasp darted out. The pain distracted her shyness just long enough for the words to break free and escape through her parted lips, "I.. I'm glad that its me who is here to keep you company".

Encouraged by the newly gained freedom of their comrades, more words rushed from her heart and into reality."I would much rather be here than at home with my father. He is alright at times, but it's still so obvious that he favors Hanabi over me. It's just not fair, I want to be realized too, I train so hard, I just want him to recognize my potential. I don't have to be the favorite, I just want him to acknowledge that I am there. I want him to acknowledge that I am trying! I just want..."

Her mouth closed sharply, shocked by how much she had allowed herself to say. If her words had been about ANYTHING else, she would have been so proud of herself. _How could I possibly say that about my father? How could I be so disrespectful? How shameful..._

The thick cotton of her clothing finally gave up, letting the damp rain water seep through its final few layers and weigh down her whole body. Despite the chill that now enveloped her limbs with a struggling shiver, she could feel the guilt burn away her stomach,gnawing on her core. The silence berated her, she spoke out of self defense, "I don't deserve his acknowledgement."

A sullen sound came from the dark space next to her, she had forgotten he was there. In the light his yellow hair seemed washed with a lonely gray. The usually brilliant blue orbs were cast down upon the pine needles, their gleaming surface covered by sorrow as they stared into a stale image of the past. "I wanted to be acknowledged too, it is all that I wanted, for so long. I craved attention and love, I needed a companion, and no one was there for me."

Blue eyes raised to meet two sheets of pale violet focused on him, unwavering, searching. "But then I met Iruka-Sensei, and Sakura-Chan, and Sasuke... and things slowly got better. They acknowledged me, one by one, and I felt more and more at ease and confident with myself."

The pale violet sheets fluttered gently as if blown by a soft breeze. Small clear droplets formed at their corners as they were faced with two intensifying blue mirrors. Two small holes had remained unclouded by the storm above, and it was as if sunlight was being pumped directly into her veins, from his eyes to hers.

"Hinata, I know how it feels to want to be acknowledged. And I also know that many people love you, and many people see you as a great ninja, and a great friend. But I want you to know that I think you are one of the greatest I have ever met. No matter what your father thinks, I know that you try your hardest in everything you do, and I know that he will see that someday."

The only connection that he had with her was cut off as delicate eyelids moved down to cover the two beautiful lavender gems. I stone began to bulge in his gut, growing heavier and heavier until it tore through and left an overwhelming feeling of dread in its place. _Did I take it to far? Hinata... I just wanted to help... I know how it feels._ Sharp nails dug into the orange fabric of the jumpsuit stretched across his knees, apprehension tugging away at his heart.

A wave of euphoria rushed from her upper chest to every extremity of her body, her soul nearly leaping up and dancing around the natural shelter. She recreated what the blonde had just said on the dark of her eyelids, visualizing the words, embracing the feeling that racked her from head to toe. It was the only thing she could do to keep herself from leaping forward and embracing him instead.

Finally convinced that she had heard him correctly, she needed to tell him scream out how she felt. With eyes still clenched shut she did her best to stay in control, "Na-Naruto kun, thank you!"

The girl sitting before him slowly opened her eyes, letting tears stream down her cheeks. A shaking hand reached across the void and wiped them from her face. It was if two swirling spheres of energy had collided, raw emotion flooding from pent up potential into the cool air. As the hand was withdrawn, it dragged with it all of the unease and worry that had been festering in the air since the two had sat down.

Free of their burden, their shoulders slumped and they were able to look around the small cavity that they had taken temporary residence in. A large puddle was beginning to form near the gap in the branches that they had used as an entrance, and many smaller ones were letting loose small streams around the perimeter, soon their safe house would be flooded.

Once again ready for a slight change of scenery, the blonde stood up and held his hand out to the kunoichi. She accepted the offer and stood next to the boy whom she admired even moreso now than she had just earlier that day when she had been watching him in secret from behind a tree.

A few short jumps later they found themselves thirty feet skyward on a branch in a neighboring tree. Partially covered by some adjacent branches, the two were sheltered from the rain that had slowed to a light drizzle, but were still given a pleasant view of the slowly clearing night sky. A wind rippled through the forest from the mountains that lay on the horizon, blowing the clouds from overhead and revealing a dazzling display of twinkling light in their place.

Dark lush locks swayed lazily in the wind. The moon lit up the small scene on the branch enough for her to make out the placid expression on the face of the blonde sitting next to her. _I can't believe that I am here, with him, alone._

Four legs hung from the branch, relaxed, carefree, and swinging slightly. In the corner of his eye he could see her looking at him, a smile spread across her face. _That smile... She is smiling because of me... I like that._

Heat slowly escaped from the two bodies, taking wing and being sucked into the soaring night sky above. Even with arms crossed inside of her sweatshirt, a chill had once again taken over her body, inducing a steady shiver. "Ano, Naruto-kun... I'm, I'm cold."

He turned his head and saw her slender form wrapped around itself under a soggy cotton wrap. _Could I...? _He slowly slid over on the branch, closer to the greatest puzzle he had ever faced in his life. The desire to warm her was overwhelming, though an invisible weight kept his arm plastered to his side.

Her eyes snapped to her fingers which were already pushing against each other at the tips, out of habit. _Is he trying to hug me? Why did he stop?_ Realizing that maybe what she had said was forcing him out of his comfort zone, she broke into a sudden panic. Words flew from her head in a desperate attempt to save the blonde from making a huge mistake, "Ma-Maybe we should just head back to town!"

Her words yanked the nervousness out from under him, and in a desperate attempt to save the moment, his arm rose from his side and draped awkwardly around her shoulders. Relief crashed over him as she inched towards him instead of away, her head slowly coming to rest on his.

_Hinata... _He felt a tight sureness constrict his upper torso, squeezing pure happiness through his body like warm honey. All of his limbs tingled as he restrained them from acting of their own free will, of his own free will. _I don't understand, I want to hold her closer, I want to place a hand on her back, I want to grasp her thigh, I want to smell her hair, I want to kiss her lips... What is this feeling?_

Never before had she been happier in her life than this moment now. Countless nights had been spent lying in bed and imagining what it would feel like to be in Naruto's arms, never did she think she would know for real. Her arms wrapped around his waist with the intent of never letting go, just incase she wouldn't get another chance to take hold again.

His fingers danced in her raven hair, exploring the wondrous new emotions that every part of her being brought to him. It was far from anything he had ever felt for Sakura. Where he had felt a desire, he now felt a curiosity. Where he had felt a hope, he now felt a necessity. Where he had felt a goal, he now felt an understanding.

Time pardoned the couple from its binds, allowing them to sit in peace for an eternity. Minutes seemed like hours, and seconds turned into minutes. Every small adjustment was an entirely new position, an entirely new experience for both of them. As the night wore on the kunoichi's head moved to the ninja's chest. A steady heartbeat in her ear served as the only indicator of the passing time, until a soft growl quivered deep within her hero's chest.

With a giggle she finally broke the silence, how long had it been since they had risen into the tree? Another whir sounded from deep within the body that she snuggled up against, "Is Naruto-kun hungry?"

Reluctant to end the embrace he considered telling her that he wasn't, but it had been nearly seven hours since his last meal, and he was not one to go without eating for such a long period of time. "Hai", he said with a sigh.

His eyes moved towards the moon, its pale beauty was surrounded by the sparkling dark sky. He had always loved the way that the stars and the inky blackness framed the moon at night, and suddenly now he felt like a complete idiot. It reminded him of her, of the girl now curled up against his body, why had he wasted so much time, why hadn't he seen it sooner?

An idea struck him as he glanced in the direction of town, "Hinata, I am tired, and we should probably head back to the village and get some sleep, but how would you like to join me for dinner tomorrow?"

Her heart fluttered, though sleepiness had eased the uncontrollable excitement that would have undoubtedly sprung from her body had she not just spent the night in a tree with her love. "Like, like a date?", she asked with a yawn.

"Hai, would that be alright with you?"

"Naruto-kun, I would love that very much", her eyes shut gently as she nuzzled her head into his chest playfully.

Elated, the blonde bent down and briefly pressed his lips to hers.

Violet eyes flew open in joyous shock; they were met with the first rays of the rising morning sun as it peaked its golden head over the horizon.


End file.
